This invention relates generally to dispensing systems and, in particular, to a dispensing system that interrogates, prior to dispensing material, an area within which the material may be dispensed, for the satisfaction of one or more criterions relating to the presence/absence of one or more objects, such as people, and upon the failure to satisfy the one or more criterions, inhibits the dispensing of the material.
Dispensing systems for the dispensing of materials, such as sanitize conditioning materials, just to name a few, are well known. For example, it is well known to provide dispensing systems for freshening, deodorizing, sanitizing and disinfecting the air within, for example, rest rooms or other areas of interest, to overcome undesirable odors or eliminate contaminants, such as bacteria, in the atmosphere or on and/or around the room""s fixtures. Likewise, dispensing systems for the dispensing of insecticides within or about an area of interest are also well known.
Generally speaking, these dispensing systems may be stand-alone devices that may be xe2x80x9ctime-drivenxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cevent-driven.xe2x80x9d An example of the former is an atmospheric dispensing system that includes a timer for controlling the release into the atmosphere of an olfactory simulating material at periodic times. Either continually or during preset hours of operation, a timer triggers the release into the atmosphere of the olfactory simulating material at periodic times of, for example, about 15 minutes. Examples of dispensing systems including these type of xe2x80x9ctime-drivenxe2x80x9d controllers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,772,074, 6,267,297 and 6,039,212, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
An example of the latter xe2x80x9cevent-drivenxe2x80x9d dispensing system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,414, the disclosure of which is also incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. In one example, this ""414 Patent describes a system that can detect the number of people that enter/exit an area of interest and based thereon, a dispensing device sanitize conditions the medium (i.e. water or air) accordingly.
As would be clear from a reading of any of the aforementioned patents, the prior art recognizes the desirability to have the dispensing systems dispense material, at least apart from the inputting/setting of the dispensing criteria and parameters, without human interaction. That is, it goes without saying that it would be painstakingly inefficient if a person/operator needed to fire the dispenser every time material was needed or desired to be dispensed.
In view thereof, at least one patent describes that undesirable ambient conditions may make such dispensing less than efficient. For example, the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,212 recognizes that under undesirable wind or temperature conditions, dispensing of the material should be inhibited.
The inventors of the present invention have realized that further advancements in the art are desirable. For example, one perceived disadvantage in the known dispensing systems is their inability to monitor and prevent dispensing of material in the event that the presence of objects, such as people, make dispensing undesirable. As a simple example illustrating the problem identified herein, suppose that when a dispenser is set to dispense material, a person is unwittingly standing close to the dispensing unit such that if the dispenser dispensed the material, the person would be exposed to a concentration or spray of material that he/she would have otherwise preferred to avoid. The present state of the art does not in any way provide for the inhibiting of the material under such conditions. As a further example thereof, even a well-placed fragrance dispenser in a restroom could unintentionally xe2x80x9cdoucexe2x80x9d an entrant with an unwanted/undesirable amount of fragrance material.
Similarly, on the insecticide dispensing side, suppose a person or animal is in very close proximity to the dispenser therefor, and further suppose a xe2x80x9ctime-drivenxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cevent drivenxe2x80x9d dispenser, such as those described above, is set to dispense insecticides therefrom. It would be desirable to ensure that the person or animal is not unnecessarily exposed to the insecticide material as it is dispensed.
The present inventors have recognized that such improvements to the state of the art are achievable. As such, the present invention overcomes the perceived deficiencies in the prior art as well as providing the objectives and advantages set forth above and below.
Therefore, it is an object and advantage of the present invention to provide an improved dispensing system for dispensing sanitize conditioning materials or insecticides in an area of interest.
It is a further object and advantage of the present invention to provide a dispensing system that interrogates an area of interest prior to the dispensing therein of the material to be dispensed, such as sanitize conditioners, insecticides or the like.
It is a still a further object and advantage of the present invention to provide a dispensing system that interrogates an area of interest for the satisfaction of one or more criterions relating to the presence/absence of one or more objects, and upon the failure to satisfy the one or more criterions, inhibits the dispensing of the material to be dispensed.
It is yet a still further object and advantage of the present invention to provide a dispensing system that can reinterrogate the area of interest for the satisfaction of the one or more criterions, and thereafter continue to reinterrogate until the one or more criterions are satisfied.
Still another object and advantage of the present invention to provide a dispensing system that utilizes an interrogator that can be both connected to or otherwise a part of a dispenser, or one that is physically detachable from the dispenser.
Yet another object and advantage of the present invention to provide a dispensing system that can determine the type of material to be dispensed, and based thereon, adjust the one or more criterions accordingly.
It is still a further object and advantage of the present invention to provide a methodology of using a dispensing system constructed in accordance with the present invention.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, arrangement of parts and methodology that will be exemplified in the disclosure hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
To overcome the perceived deficiencies in the prior art and to achieve the objects and advantages above and below, the present invention is, generally speaking, directed to a dispensing system for use in an area of interest, such as for example, and not limitation, restrooms, restaurants, eating areas, food stock preparation areas and areas where livestock may be present.
In a preferred embodiment, the system comprises a method of dispensing material from a dispenser, wherein the material to be dispensed is contained in a source of material that is positionable in a housing of the dispenser, and comprises the steps of determining that material is to be dispensed from the source in an area of interest; interrogating, prior to dispensing material, at least a portion of the area of interest for the satisfaction of at least one criterion relating to the presence/absence of one or more objects, and upon the failure to satisfy the at least one criterion, inhibiting the dispensing of the material to be dispensed; reinterrogating the area of interest (or at least a portion thereof) for the satisfaction of the at least one criterion, and repeating this reinterrogation step until the one or more criterions are satisfied; and once the at least one criterion is satisfied, dispensing the material to be dispensed.
Particular features of the method may include initiating the interrogation step after it is determined that material is to be dispensed and determining whether the material to be dispensed is one used primarily as an insecticide, sanitize conditioner, or the like, and setting the at least one criterion based thereon. In a preferred method, the interrogator for interrogating is physically coupled to the dispenser. However, in all embodiments disclosed herein, the present invention contemplates that the interrogator may be physically detached from the dispenser. In this alternative embodiment, the indication that the at least one criterion has been satisfied is transmitted to the dispenser over a communication link, such as over a radio frequency.
In another preferred embodiment, the method comprises the steps of setting an interval for the dispensing of material and interrogating, prior to the end of the interval, an area of interest for the satisfaction of at least one criterion relating to the presence/absence of one or more objects. In yet another methodology, the interrogating occurs after the end of the interval but prior to dispensing.
A system for carrying out the foregoing is also provided, wherein the system comprises a housing unit within which the source of material is positionable; an actuation mechanism for causing the dispensing of material from the source of material; a controller, coupled to the actuation mechanism, for controlling the actuation of the actuation mechanism; an interrogator, coupled to the controller, for interrogating at least a portion of the area of interest and for providing information to the controller relating to the presence/absence of one or more objects; wherein the controller inhibits the actuation of the actuation mechanism based on a failure to satisfy at least one criterion related to the presence/absence of the one or more objects in the area of interest.
In a preferred embodiment, the information the interrogator provides to the controller is the determination of the satisfaction of the at least one criterion. In another preferred embodiment, the controller determines the satisfaction of the at least one criterion based on information provided to the controller from the interrogator. A feature of the present invention is also the ability to provide an interrogator that is physically detached from the housing and communicates with the controller over a radio frequency. Similarly, an arrangement for determining the type of material to be dispensed is also provided.